Echinacea laevigata (C.L. Boynton & Beadle) S.F. Blake. Common name: Smooth Purple Coneflower. Phenology: Mate May-Jul. Habitat: Open woodlands and glades over mafic or calcareous rocks, such as diabase, limestone, and dolostone, rarely in oak-pine savannas of the upper Coastal Plain over circumneutral clay sediments. Distribution: c. and w. VA south through c. NC to c. and w. SC and ne. GA; disjunct in Piedmont of PA (where extirpated).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: The species is an eastern sibling of E. purpurea.
Other Comments: In NC, this attractive, medicinal plant is now limited to a few populations in Durham, Granville, and Rockingham counties. Extensive populations occur over Elbrook Dolomite in Montgomery, VA. Populations of this species in sandy soils of the Coastal Plain of SC have been variously interpreted as native or introduced (Nelson & Kelly 1997). Discovered in 2012 at Fort Stewart, GA.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA21, K4, Pa, RAB, S, SE1, Va, W, Binns, Baum, & Arnason (2002), Foster (1991), McGregor (1968), McKeown (1999); = Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench var. laevigata (C.L.Boynton & Beadle) Cronquist — G
Links to other floras: = Echinacea laevigata - FNA21
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of open woodlands and glades over mafic or calcareous rocks, such as diabase, limestone and dolostone; rarely in oak-pine savannas over circumneutral clay sediments of the upper Coastal Plain.
Stems: Stems simple, smooth, sometimes whitish.
Leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, petiolate (winged and purplish) to sessile, lance-oval to elliptic with pointed tips, 4-6 in. long, toothed, smooth beneath and smooth to slightly rough-hairy above.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) solitary at stem end; to 4 in. wide; consisting of 13-21 deep to pale pink, distinctively drooping, long ray florets encircling a domed central disk, which is composed of tiny pink to yellowish-red tubular florets and spiny bracts.
Fruits: Fruit an erect, cone-like head of seeds intermixed with spiny bracts.
Comments: Smooth Coneflower is a perennial closely related to the common purple coneflower. The ray flowers (petals) are pinkish-purple and have a distinctive, drooping habit. Since discovery of the species, more than half of the populations have been destroyed, mainly because of agricultural clearing and residential and industrial development. Historically, this species was known to grow in a variety of open habitats that were maintained by occasional fires, which prevented woody plants from becoming established. These sorts of habitats were once more common throughout the Carolinas but are now quite rare.
Height: 1 1/2-4 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of open woodlands and glades over mafic or calcareous rocks, such as diabase, limestone and dolostone; rarely in oak-pine savannas over circumneutral clay sediments of the upper Coastal Plain.
stems: Stems simple, smooth, sometimes whitish.
leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, petiolate (winged and purplish) to sessile, lance-oval to elliptic with pointed tips, 4-6 in. long, toothed, smooth beneath and smooth to slightly rough-hairy above.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) solitary at stem end; to 4 in. wide; consisting of 13-21 deep to pale pink, distinctively drooping, long ray florets encircling a domed central disk, which is composed of tiny pink to yellowish-red tubular florets and spiny bracts.
fruits: Fruit an erect, cone-like head of seeds intermixed with spiny bracts.
comments: Smooth Coneflower is a perennial closely related to the common purple coneflower. The ray flowers (petals) are pinkish-purple and have a distinctive, drooping habit. Since discovery of the species, more than half of the populations have been destroyed, mainly because of agricultural clearing and residential and industrial development. Historically, this species was known to grow in a variety of open habitats that were maintained by occasional fires, which prevented woody plants from becoming established. These sorts of habitats were once more common throughout the Carolinas but are now quite rare.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: southeastern United States